Coral Bleaching is the loss of intracellular endosymbionts through expulsion or loss of algal pigmentation. Causes- Coral reefs play a big part in the ocean. They are considers the oceans rainforest. There has been a decrease in the reefs because of global climate change. This happens when the water is to warm. Of course an effect of the global climate change is coral bleaching. It’s called bleaching because the reefs look as if they are bleached after. Reef is bleached it is starved. When a When the algae that is important for coral reefs to survive loses pigmentation, or totally leaves the tissue in the coral it can not survive. Since 1983 sporadically coral bleaching has occurred. According to Dr. Wilkinson, “The coral bleaching occurs when high heat and bright sunshine cause the metabolism of algae to speed out of control and created toxins, which return the polyps spit out the algae.” There said that coral bleaching occurs in the dark when the temperature is high. Another source states that coral bleaching also came from swimmers sunscreen. Saying that 10% of reefs would be potentially affected. Reefs that do not scatter light effectively retain the algae better under the stressful situation and had a better chance at living. But, when the reefs scattered light they did good in regular situations but not in stressful ones. Solar radiation can play apart in bleaching. So can cold winds. Even if a reef is deprived of zooplankton bleaching can occur. Effects- Once a reef is bleached it may not die but it will reduce its producing capabilities. The bleaching can cause a number of effects like changes in ocean currents. Also an increase or decrease on the salinity in water. They are a haven for a quarter of marine species and are considered the foundation for some fishing industries. Reefs are a source of food and medicine for humans and provide jobs worth $375 billion a year. In 2004 20 percent of the reefs where ruined a showed no sign or recovery. 40 percent of the 16 percent of corals affected in 1998 are in recovery or fully recovered. Events- The NOAA monitors for coral reef bleaching. They do this by using satellite. The U.S Caribbean lost 50 percent of it reefs due to warm waters in 2005. The stress was bigger than the prior 20 years put together. It was also found that some cold water caused bleaching in Florida in 2010. The Great Barrier Reef has experienced about 7 different bleaching events between 1980 and 2006.
NOAA21. "When Corals Are Stressed by Changes in Conditions Such as Temperature, Light, or Nutrients, They Expel the Symbiotic Algae Living in Their Tissues, Causing Them to Turn Completely White." What Is Coral Bleaching? N.p., 21 Feb. 2013. Web. 04 Nov. 2013. <http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_bleach.html>
Coral Bleaching is the loss of intracellular endosymbionts through expulsion or loss of algal pigmentation.
Causes- Coral reefs play a big part in the ocean. They are considers the oceans rainforest. There has been a decrease in the reefs because of global climate change. This happens when the water is to warm. Of course an effect of the global climate change is coral bleaching. It’s called bleaching because the reefs look as if they are bleached after. Reef is bleached it is starved. When a When the algae that is important for coral reefs to survive loses pigmentation, or totally leaves the tissue in the coral it can not survive. Since 1983 sporadically coral bleaching has occurred. According to Dr. Wilkinson, “The coral bleaching occurs when high heat and bright sunshine cause the metabolism of algae to speed out of control and created toxins, which return the polyps spit out the algae.” There said that coral bleaching occurs in the dark when the temperature is high. Another source states that coral bleaching also came from swimmers sunscreen. Saying that 10% of reefs would be potentially affected. Reefs that do not scatter light effectively retain the algae better under the stressful situation and had a better chance at living. But, when the reefs scattered light they did good in regular situations but not in stressful ones. Solar radiation can play apart in bleaching. So can cold winds. Even if a reef is deprived of zooplankton bleaching can occur.
Effects- Once a reef is bleached it may not die but it will reduce its producing capabilities. The bleaching can cause a number of effects like changes in ocean currents. Also an increase or decrease on the salinity in water. They are a haven for a quarter of marine species and are considered the foundation for some fishing industries. Reefs are a source of food and medicine for humans and provide jobs worth $375 billion a year. In 2004 20 percent of the reefs where ruined a showed no sign or recovery. 40 percent of the 16 percent of corals affected in 1998 are in recovery or fully recovered.
Events- The NOAA monitors for coral reef bleaching. They do this by using satellite. The U.S Caribbean lost 50 percent of it reefs due to warm waters in 2005. The stress was bigger than the prior 20 years put together. It was also found that some cold water caused bleaching in Florida in 2010. The Great Barrier Reef has experienced about 7 different bleaching events between 1980 and 2006.
Sources
Carnegie Institution(2013,September 5). Clues in coral bleaching mystery.
ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 4, 2013 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/13095134014.htm
Gillis, Justin. "Extreme Heat Bleaches Coral, and Threat Is Seen." Www.nytimes.com. N.p., 20 Sept. 2010. Web. 4 Nov. 2013.
Carnegie Institution. "Clues in Coral Bleaching mystery." Clues in Coral Bleaching Mystery. N.p., 05 Sept. 2013. Web. 04 Nov. 2013. <http://esciencenews.com/articles/2013/09/05/clues.coral.bleaching.mystery>.
Tibbetts, John. "Bleached by the Sun: Sunscreen Linked to Coral Damage." NCBI. U.S. National Library of Medicine, Apr. 2008. Web. 04 Nov. 2013. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2291012/>.
Watrous, Lucinda, and Niki Fears. "What Is Coral Bleaching? Learn the Causes & Effects of Coral Bleaching." Bright Hub. N.p., 25 Nov. 2009. Web. 04 Nov. 2013. <http://www.brighthub.com/environment/science-environmental/articles/37277.aspx>.
Shah, Anup. "Coral Reefs." - Global Issues. N.p., 03 Mar. 2013. Web. 04 Nov. 2013. <http://www.globalissues.org/article/173/coral-reefs>.
NOAA21. "When Corals Are Stressed by Changes in Conditions Such as Temperature, Light, or Nutrients, They Expel the Symbiotic Algae Living in Their Tissues, Causing Them to Turn Completely White." What Is Coral Bleaching? N.p., 21 Feb. 2013. Web. 04 Nov. 2013. <http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_bleach.html>
Antonia Curtis